The Golden Fan
by BlackRoseOpal
Summary: The life story of Avatar Kyoshi. Various parts of her life, her struggles, her love, but above all, her strength and determination.
1. The Birth of a Warrior

_Avatar Kuruk drew his last breath and with his passing, the Spirits began to work their power on a new Avatar, growing within the womb of a fragile woman residing in the Southwestern part of the Earth Kingdom. This Avatar would be fierce and strong, an example for her people, an anchor for the world. She would be a warrior._

* * *

**Part 1, The Birth of a Warrior**

"Come on, Hye, you can do it. Just a couple of more pushes."

Tears streamed down the young girl's face. She had never intended to have a child so early into her life, or her marriage. Her husband held tightly onto his wife's hand. Her belly had swollen so large it was doubtful that the tiny girl would be able to give birth properly. She gave another ear piercing cry as the pain shot through her spine. The doctor kept giving her encouraging words, wiping sweat from his own brow. He knew, successful or not, this birth would not be easy for Hye, with tiny hips and a weak constitution to begin with.

"Hye, I love you, you're almost there," said Jin, wiping sticky strands of hair from his wife's forehead. She cried out again, digging her fingers into the bed beneath her, and then all was silent, save for the tiny cries that came from the doctor's arms. Jin burst into happy tears and kissed his wife.

"I love you so much," he whispered. "You are amazing, Hye."

Hye smiled weakly and glanced back up at the doctor who cleaned off their new baby and swaddled it in a large rag.

"Spirits," said the doctor. "Your daughter is a large one at that."

"It's a girl?" said Jin. "Honey, it's a girl!"

Hye nodded between weak breaths, leaning back into the pillows, her dark hair strewn around her in damp locks. The doctor the baby girl handed Jin and sat back to observe the new family.

"She is a big baby," Jin said jokingly. "That just means she'll be strong, right?"

The doctor nodded. Jin glanced down at his wife,

"Do you still want to name her Kyoshi?" he asked; she didn't answer. "Hye?"

The young mother did not move. Her pale face nearly blended in with the pillows around her. Just the faintest of breaths lifted her swollen chest, struggling to rise.

"Hye, wake up," said Jin, gently nudging his wife. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled faintly at her daughter.

"Is she our Kyoshi?" he asked, starting to worry. Hye's smile widened just a bit and she nodded.

"My big and strong Kyoshi," she whispered, and then closed her eyes. Jin began to tremble with anxiety.

"Come on, Hye, don't you want to hold her?" he asked, nudging his wife with their bundled child. "Hye?"

The doctor made his way to Hye's side and began to examine her. Tears began to well up once more in Jin's eyes, but under new pretenses, under new fears and feelings.

"Hye?" he said again. The doctor slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said. "There's nothing I can do. The labor was just too much for her."

"N-no," Jin stammered. "Hye, no, she can't-" He trailed off and glanced at the doctor, horrified. "She's a strong girl. She's pulled through everything."

"Jin, she was a fragile young woman, you know that," he said, painfully honest. "I'm sorry, but she is with the Spirits now."

Jin sank back onto his heels, nearly dropping the baby from his arms. He shifted the bundle to his other arm to reach for his wife. He touched her cheek, damp and clammy with sweat and tears.

"Hye..." He broke into weak sobs, leaning into Hye's still chest. "No, please, don't leave me now...I need you, our baby needs you, please just...don't...not now...not today..."

"Jin, I'm sorry," said the doctor. "But this is not an uncommon thing with heavy births such as-"

"Leave!" Jin cried. "Leave us!"

The doctor sighed, knowing his influence was for nigh. He packed up his tools and stood. Before leaving the bedroom, he turned back.

"I will return with a wet nurse for your daughter and to prepare the body," he said. "I'm sorry."

The room was empty and quiet, except for Jin's soft cries next to Hye's lifeless body, and the small strong squeals of a child who's life was far more important than her broken father realized.

* * *

**A/N:** I always wondered what kind of trials Kyoshi had to go through, especially since she was the oldest living human ever recorded (230 years, dear Spirits) You can also find this story on my RP tumblr


	2. The Awakening

_ With the loss of his wife weighing too great on his heart, Jin turned his blame to the child Hye had given her life to bring into the world. Grief stricken, he handed off baby Kyoshi to his sister's brother and his wife to care for. And just like that, the Avatar-to-be's father vanished, gone into the world and gone from Kyoshi's life. Kyoshi grew as a tough child, easily angered and easy to defend, which proved to be good for her strength, but bad in other various scenarios..._

* * *

**Part 2: Awakening**

"Kyoshi, stop this now!"  
The six-year-old's uncle Hyun staggered forward on his cane to peel the spastic child off the boy she had pinned to the ground in a fury of angry punches.  
"No!" cried Kyoshi, continuing to hit the boy. "My. Feet. Are. Not. That Big!"  
The boy cried, trying to block the girl's beatings. Hyun finally reached the brawl and with much effort, pulled Kyoshi off the boy. But it was too late; he already had a swollen face and bloody lip.  
"Seung, help Yoh out," said Hyun to his wife who quickly went rushed to the boy's aid. Hyun dragged the kicking and screaming Kyoshi into their house and sat her down on a chair in their kitchen.  
"Kyoshi!" he yelled harshly to get her to stop screaming. "Why were you hurting little Yoh out there?"  
"Because he said I had big feet and was ugly!" said Kyoshi, suddenly on the verge of tears. Hyun sighed and knelt down at the girl's level. It was true, Kyoshi had always been a fast growing child, with admittedly large feet. She towered over every kid her age in town.  
"Now you listen to me," he said, placing a hand on her knee. "You are not ugly, Kyoshi."  
"Then why did daddy leave me?" she said suddenly, hiccuping when she cried. "Why did he have to leave? Why didn't he like me?"  
Hyun was taken aback at Kyoshi's underlining motive for her angry outburst. He inwardly cursed Jin for being such a cowardly father.  
"Because he was weak and you reminded him so much of my sister."  
Kyoshi rubbed her eyes and looked up at her uncle.  
"My mommy?" Hyun nodded.  
"Yes; you are so pretty, and you're going to stay pretty. Your father was a fool for leaving you." He paused. "And do you know what else?"  
"What?"  
"Big feet is a sign of strong earthbender." He leaned in and winked. "Did you see how small Yoh's feet are? Yours are far superior to his."  
Kyoshi looked down at her feet and pursed her lips.  
"You're going to be a strong bender someday," he said. "A strong earthbender." He watched Kyoshi wipe away a tear. "And no crying in front of people, you hear me? You have to remain tough for the others." He leaned back on his ankles. "Now show me what you can do alright?"  
Kyoshi nodded and hopped down from the chair. She planted her feet into the floor and concentrated on a crack in the stone beneath her. With a deep breath, and a shaky untrained hand, Kyoshi bent the space in the earth back together.  
"Very good!" said Hyun with a smile. "Now, go out and apologize to Yoh."  
Kyoshi's sudden feeling of victory plummeted when she realized she had to be nice to the boy who had made fun of her. But she reveled in the fact that she was stronger than him, than any of the kids.  
"Fine," Kyoshi huffed. She stomped by her uncle and went to open the door to the house when suddenly the entire thing blew off its hinges and landed about five yards away from the house. Outside, aunt Seung and little Yoh froze where they stood and stared jaw dropped at what had just happened. Kyoshi stumbled back out of fear.  
"Ah!" she cried, falling back on her behind. Inside, Hyun's eyes widened at the young girl he had raised since her father dropped her off and left for Ba Sing Se.  
"K-Kyoshi..." He stuttered. "What...what did you do?"  
The girl slowly turned back at her uncle, hands trembling form shock.  
"I don't know," she said, her voice rising to a high pitched squeak. Yoh was the first to answer the question.  
"Did Kyoshi just airbend?"

* * *

Weeks passed and word spread quickly throughout the nations. The new Avatar had been found, a young girl, living on the peninsula of the South Western Earth Kindgom. As word spread, so did curiosity. The fire lord and earth kings, the water tribe chiefs and air nomads traveled long and far to see the girl, to see who would hold the world into balance for the next generation.

"She has a strong heart," said the king of Omashu as he knelt down at Kyoshi's level. "You will be a strong bender."

"Everyone keeps saying that," said Kyoshi, absent minded to the king's kindness.

"Kyoshi!" Hyun snapped. "Snow respect."

"It's quite alright," said the king. "Some day I'll be bowing to her you know."

Kyoshi's eyes widened. She could barely comprehend everything that had happened within the past month. She had accidentally airbent once and suddenly the whole world was traveling to see her like she was some sort of jewel. It felt weird to be towered over by so many adults, so many people of power. The water tribe people clad in animal pelts and blue cotton, the fire nation with their ornamented silks and intricately crafted metal armor, the air nomads in their humble robes, some with gliders, and some with not, and then the radiant earth kings, dressed in the finest tapestries and patterned cloaks, covered head to toe in emerald and gold threads. It was like a collage of the elements put into one. All the colors, all the different faces fascinated Kyoshi, and they were all here for her.

For the first time in her life, Kyoshi actually felt wanted again.

* * *

**A/N:** Woo! I managed to bump a 500 word document to 1000! Go me! Although this isn't a very popular fiction yet (not that it ever will be XP) Thank you to the people who took time to read it, just to click on it and check it out. I really appreciate it and I'll keep it up to date regularly (or I will die trying).


	3. Beauty of Silk, Strength of Gold

_ As guardians of Kyoshi, Hyun and Seung had decided to hold off on Kyoshi's Avatar training until she had gotten used to her unusual, but stable household, without her father. Young Kyoshi dappled herself in learning small tricks with each element, but when she came to the age of twelve, air was the first to learn on her long journey as the Avatar..._

* * *

**Part 3: Beauty of Silk, Strength of Gold**

The wind circled around Kyoshi in a never ending current. Every particle, every fiber danced around her, as if swayed by the unseen Spirits caught in her bending trap.

"That's good, Kyoshi," said Chung. "Now, released the flow like I told you."

The young Avatar drew in a deep breath and then pushed out her hands, palms facing away, releasing the built up current of wind as she exhaled towards a nearby haystack. The pile blew apart and rained down around them in a yellow stringed snow. Kyoshi smiled up at the sky as the hay fell all around her, covering her, tickling her. She giggled and brushed the debris from her face.

"You're a fast learner," said Master Chung, brushing hay off his air monk robes and approached Kyoshi. "I would be honored to bring you back to the Western Air Temple to train with my people."

Kyoshi's eyes widened with excitement. She leaped back and took a respectful bow.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" she said. "I'm going to go tell my family."

Master Chung nodded and allowed the young girl to run ahead into her village. She was immediately greeted by her aunt and uncle who hugged her tightly.

"How did it go?" asked Hyun. Kyoshi smiled brightly up at her uncle.

"I'm going to the Western Air Temple!" she said. "I'm going to train there!"

A small crowd of Kyoshi's closest neighbors and friends gathered to congratulate the young Avatar. She thanked them all one by one and they slowly dispersed to allow her to prepare. As the crowd lessened, Kyoshi saw off to the side one who had waited until the hype died down to approach her. Her best friend, Koko ran up and squeezed Kyoshi in a tight hug. Her arms enveloped Koko, seeing as she towered over her by nearly a foot.

"Congratulations Kyoshi!" she said happily. "I knew you would make it!"

Kyoshi pressed her cheek against the top of Koko's head, closing her eyes in content.

"Thanks, Koko," she said softly. "It's a big honor you know."

Koko's smile fell a little and she nuzzled a little closer in.

"I'm going to miss you, ya know..." Her voice had dropped to a whisper. "You have to come back and visit as much as you can."

Kyoshi's heart dropped a bit at the thought of leaving Koko behind. The two had been joined at the hip since Koko's family had moved onto the peninsula A thought occurred to her, but it was a bit of a long shot.

"Come with me," she said, pulling away to hold onto Koko's shoulders. "Come with me to the Air Temple! Travel with me!"

Koko's eyes widened with surprise and concern, and just a little bit of hope.

"You think I could really do that?" she asked. "Would I be allowed?"

Kyoshi thought for a moment, but she couldn't think of a reason as to why not. Koko was a nonbender, what distraction would she pose other than being a friend in an unfamiliar world?

"We'll just have to convince Master Chung," she said with a smile. Koko nodded, but then her gaze shifted past Kyoshi to something behind her and her smile dropped. Kyoshi turned to see an unfamiliar face approach, traveling bag in hand with a weary face of exhaustion. She stared long at the man who stood before her, leaning on his walking stick, and then her eyes widened as her memories flooded in.

"Father?" she said, taking a step back. Jin's face lit up as he realized his daughter stood right there, right in front of his eyes. After twelve years, she had changed so much. Kyoshi narrowed her eyes; her father had not changed much from the picture her uncle kept hidden in his bedside drawer. He had been a young father, barely a man.

Kyoshi's heart hardened.

_But a deserter nonetheless_, she thought.

"Kyoshi," said Jin, nearly breathless. "Is that really you? You've gotten so big!"

Koko shrunk back, the timid girl she was. Kyoshi stood in front of her defensively and gave her father a hard look.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. "Why have you come back?"

Jin looked down at the ground, ashamed of himself.

"I heard my own daughter was the Avatar," he said in his defense. "No matter how heartbroken I was, I had to return to see for myself." He glanced at Master Chung who had been around shortly before he had arrived. "I suppose it's true. Are you going to an Air Temple soon?"

"Yes," Kyoshi snapped. "The Western one to be precise. I'll be training there." She paused, a sudden anger built up in her heart. "How dare you."

Jin's expression turned to worry.

"How dare..."

"_How dare you!"_ Kyoshi stepped forward. "How dare you show your face around here after abandoning me! And now that I'm the Avatar, you think you can walk back into my life like that atones you for your sins?"

"Kyoshi, please, I-"

"No!" she cried. "No pleas, no apologies! You broke my heart, you left me without a father as well as a mother! I can't forgive you! I can't- I can't-"

She started to tremble, the tips of her fingers went numb and she suddenly felt light as a feather.

"Kyoshi?" Koko's tiny voice came from behind her, but to no avail. The Avatar was lost. She opened her angry eyes, a white light illuminating from the once dark green irises like two pearl suns. The grass billowed around her, the winds suddenly changed, circling around her.

"She's going into the Avatar State!" cried Master Chung. "Get back!"

Koko was blown onto the ground as Kyoshi suddenly lifted from the earth, hovering in the air as if she were merely a leaf in the wind. Her arms moved as wings in glide, extended out to the tip of her long slender fingers. Her clothing billowed around her loosely like flags in the battlefield. Jin stumbled back in fear of the new power his daughter possessed, a power she knew not how to control at such a young age. The earth began to crack beneath them and the winds drew clouds over them, shadowing them from the sun.

"Kyoshi please!" cried Koko. "You don't need to hurt him!"

"She can't hear you," Master Chung yelled. "She is lost in her own state!"

"No!" Koko cried, and leapt up to grab onto Kyoshi's long legs before she rose too high into the air. But Koko was tiny, and it barely stopped the Avatar's ascent.

"Please Kyoshi!" she cried. "Listen to me! He still loves you! We all love you! I love you! Come back, please!"

The wind continued to toss and turn against the grass, but suddenly, it broke, sending everyone back onto the ground, save for Koko who held on for dear life. Kyoshi gasped, inhaling deeply as her eyes faded back, pupil's dilated in shock. She fell back to the earth, crumbling to her knees, still in Koko's arms, who had started sobbing from desperation.

"Kyoshi," she said again. "Kyoshi, Kyoshi, Kyoshi!"

A firm hand took hold of Koko's shoulder and she jumped. The Avatar now looked down at her friend with an exhausted smile. This was all too much for one twelve-year-old to handle in one day. Her head was spinning, her fingers were still numb. All she could do was turn to her father, eyes tired but hardened once more and utter one word.

"Leave."

* * *

The ocean waves crashed against the cliff rocks below. Kyoshi sat alone, dangling her legs off the edge. The water's roar soothed her steaming heart. She wanted to kick and scream and hurt. She wanted to hurt something, see the blood run from something. Clenching her stomach, she leaned forward, letting the sea spray her face.

"What is wrong with me?" she whispered to the air. "What kind of Avatar would I be if all I seek is harm?"

"You don't. You're just angry."

Kyoshi turned to see Koko standing behind her, holding her long black hair out of her face as the wind threatened to blow it over her eyes.

"Koko..."

She smiled at her friend and approached slowly, her dress billowing around her.

"May I sit?" she asked. Kyoshi nodded,

"Of course."

Koko took a seat next to her and swung her legs over the edge of the cliff. They were quiet for a while. In the most desperate of times, the two never _had_ to say something to know how the other felt. All Koko had to do was lay her head against Kyoshi and Kyoshi's against her and they sat there in blissful, if albeit sad silence, listening to the waves crash, the wild turkey ducks clucking nearby.

"No matter what it takes," said Koko, finally breaking the silence. "I won't let you go through this journey alone." She paused. "If I have to sneak onto monk Chung's flying bison, I'm coming with you to the Western Air Temple."

Kyoshi laughed quietly, letting a smile stretched her face, tired of frowning.

"I want you to come, Koko," she said. "I really do."

"Good, because Chung said it was alright."

Kyoshi sat up straight and swung her gaze at Koko,

"What?" she snapped. "He what?"

"I talked to him," she said. "He sympathized with you, saying how the past Avatars have always had someone by their side to make them feel not so alone in the world. He mentioned something about you not having an animal guide yet so I'll come in handy...or...something."

Kyoshi chuckled and pulled Koko into a hug.

"I couldn't ask for a better friend," she said into Koko's dark hair.

"Likewise." She breathed deep, taking in Kyoshi's sea sprayed scent. "Oh, I almost forgot!"

Koko pulled away and took out a small object wrapped in a cloth.

"I wanted to give these to you before you headed off to the Air Temple."

She handed the makeshift package to Kyoshi to open. Kyoshi unwrapped the cloth to reveal two beautiful golden fans resting in her lap.

"Oh," she breathed. "They're breathtaking!" She picked one up and opened it, immediately awed by its quality. Golden silk woven so tight it could hold its own against a sword, the golden skeleton, so strong and beautiful, yet deadly if need be.

"I found them when a merchant came into town," said Koko. "She said they were a one of a kind, crafted by the very same women who make the Earth King's robes." She smiled proudly. "Beautiful to the eye, yet strong to the enemy. His robes were always made with a secret technique to protect him against assassins, and the women used this technique when they made these fans, but they were told to not waste their time on such a project and before they made a third one, the operation ceased."

Kyoshi grabbed the other fan and stood up. She unfolded both of them and a smile crept across her face as a thought struck in her mind. She slid her left foot across the damp grassy ground and moved her arms in the formation of the one air technique she knew. When she released the current of wind, the blow was so much more powerful with an item such as the fans through which to channel her energy.

"That was amazing Kyoshi!" Koko gasped. Kyoshi closed the fans and smiled down at her friend with approval.

"Normally I'd scold you for believing such a story from a merchant," she said. "But in this case, I think you chose well, Koko."


	4. Element of Freedom

_ The Western Air Temple welcomed Kyoshi and Koko into their culture and home, adopting them into their tightly knitted spiritual family. While Kyoshi was whisked off to train for airbending, the nonbending monks of the temple took in Koko, sympathizing with her, and taught her the ways of meditation and calligraphy. Through this skill of ink spawned a whole knew path for Koko, an talent for art she didn't realize she had._

* * *

**Part 4: Element of Freedom**

A small pale hand drug a lightly inked brush across the papyrus paper, creating a river of black over a rough white field. Koko painted with a steady hand, a skill she'd acquired when the monks at the Western Air Temple took her in and taught her meditations and calligraphy while Kyoshi was off training to be the Avatar. Koko sat in peace, cross legged with nothing but the low table, the paper and her humble art supplies next to her. She gazed out at the valley below where lemurs and flying bison glided around in the mid morning sun. A bright sunny day was rare for this area, and the creatures of the temple were not hesitant to take advantage of it, and neither were the monks. Many of them found patches of sun to sit and meditate, pondering their place in life, or perhaps just thanking the Spirits _for _life.

"Hmm," Koko hummed with a smile as she continued her training in the arts.

"What are you working on?" Koko jumped at Kyoshi's voice behind her.

"Spirits, Kyoshi, don't sneak up on me like that!" she said. "I was just painting."

Kyoshi knelt beside Koko and peered over at what she'd created thus far.

"Do you only have black to work with?" she asked, looking at the ornately drawn faces on the paper.

"Yes, but I've been using the red from those berries that grow around the gardens to add some color," she said. "Here let me show you."

She pulled a small clay bowl of the crimson liquid and dipped an extra brush into it, letting the berry juice soak up into the bristles.

"Watch."

Kyoshi looked on in interest as her friend made the most elegant of strokes in the smallest places, above the young woman's eyelids, across her lips and down her pale arms.

"Is she bleeding?" she asked.

"No," Koko answered. "She wears white and red makeup to disguise herself when she fights her enemies." She smiled up at Kyoshi. "To protect the ones closest to her. She fights the criminals in her city because she's the only bender there and bending isn't allowed."

"That's an elaborate story, Koko," said Kyoshi. "You're crazy, you know that?"

She didn't want to admit it, but Koko's story absolutely fascinated her.

"But you're still amazing." She pulled her into a hug and squeezed their cheeks together.

"And you're stubborn and rough," said Koko teasingly. "But you're still my best friend."

* * *

_ As a few years passed, and Kyoshi continued to master airbending. At age fifteen, the young Avatar excelled in the element of freedom while Koko found her inner peace in the arts and ink brush. They both were growing in their own ways, some similar and some very different..._

The architecture of the Western Air Temple absolutely dumbfounded Koko. The buildings that hung from the ceiling, the intricately designed arches, the fountains that provided water for flying bison and lemurs alike. Koko sat at the edge of a fountain, running her tiny hand down the furry spine of a baby lemur who didn't yet quite grasp the concept of someone of Koko's ethnicity dressed as one of the familiar monks that meditated within their nesting grounds.

"You're a new lemur, aren't you?" she said with a smile. "Well, I've only been here for a few years, and I can tell you're going to love it."

The lemur churred at Koko, drank its fill, and then scampered off to join its mother. Koko stood and decided to find Kyoshi. She was probably still training, but it wouldn't hurt for her to watch.

Although the temple halls was like a labyrinth when she and Kyoshi first arrived, they walked everywhere and soon got used to the winding corners and turns, even the dead ends where incense burners honored the past airbending avatars.

"Light on your feet, Kyoshi."

The faint command gave Koko a hit as to where to look. There were multiple training grounds, but Master Chung enjoyed teaching Kyoshi in one in particular. The temple halls opened up to a hanging garden overhead. Potted vines, flowers and other oddly beautiful plants grew in every which way by way of mirrors reflecting the sunlight that streamed down from the tunnel in the ceiling. A trickling fountain bubbled nearby, and a few birds chirped their good morning to the Air Temple.

"That's it, now control your breathing," said Chung. "That's always something you've struggled with."

Koko drew her gaze to Kyoshi who was clad in the traditional Air monk robes of orange an red, the humble clothing falling a little tight around her. She tried not to distract the young Avatar from her training, so when Chung noticed her and gave her a calm, but stern look, Koko held up her hands in defense and scooted over to a wall where she sat still to _simply watch_. The Monk sighed and urged Kyoshi to continue her exercises.

"You know," said Kyoshi as she slid into circles around the training ring. "I feel a lot calmer with Koko around." She glanced at Chung with a smile. "She's my oldest friend, and she knows me better than I know myself."

Chung sighed and glanced at Koko.

"As true as that is," he said. "You must be wary about your emotions as a person and control them as the Avatar." He lowered his head. "Physical pleasure of our world are like stepping stones of the Spiritual world."

Kyoshi frowned, a bit confused at the monk's words.

"Pleasures?" Kyoshi questioned. "Koko's just my friend."

In return, Koko nodded, also wondering of Chung's particular word choice. But the curiosity was staunched and brushed away as a simple thought and Koko continued to watch in silence as Kyoshi practiced. Airbending was a fascinating style. The way she never stopped moving. It was always a constant flow of limbs. When one leg stopped sliding across the granite floor, as gracefully and silent as a snake, the other took its place, and so on the cycle went. Kyoshi's arms never stopped in their dance, as if carried by the ever changing wind. The only thing was, there was no wind in this sanctuary. This training ground was merely for exercises, meditating, and technique building.

A tiny bird fluttered about and landed on Koko's knee, chirping lightly at her. Koko smiled lightly and extended her finger for the bird to rest upon, which it took gladly, hopping from perch to perch. She leaned her head back and stared up at the tunnel that led to the beautiful blue sky and sighed. This place was so peaceful. She almost never wanted to leave. There was no anger, no frustration. Sure, the monks were isolationists, but they liked it that way. They even adopted Koko into their community along with Kyoshi, allowing the nonbender to learn their ways of meditating and calligraphy while Kyoshi trained with the token airbenders of the Temple. For three years, Koko put her mind at peace and grew as a poet and artist. She provided an extra hand in the care and keeping of the wildlife that resided here, and she never hesitated to help the elderly in their day to day life, even if that only involved helping them out of their modest bed and onto the floor to meditate all day long, stopping only to eat an relieve themselves.

"I never want to leave," she whispered, although she knew their peace here would not last forever. Soon, she and Kyoshi would travel to the fire nation to continue her training.

A light gust of wind blew in Koko's face and she opened her eyes to see Kyoshi standing above her.

"We're all done," she said, offering her friend a hand to her feet. "My test is tomorrow."

Koko's eyes widened. She didn't think time had gone by _that_ quickly.

"And then the fire nation?" she asked. Kyoshi nodded.

"And then the fire nation."

* * *

Master Chung took the traveling bags from Koko and placed them onto his flying bison with care.

"Thank you for the ink by the way," said Koko, climbing up the bison's side. "You didn't have to give me so much."

"We have little need for access possessions here," the monk said calmly. "You will have much better use for it than we will."

Koko smiled and then glanced back as Kyoshi made her way, her pack slung over her shoulder. She was once more clad in her earth kingdom clothing, the simple emerald trims that lined her shoulders, the brown sash tied at her waist, exemplifying the curves she'd gained over the years. She looked so much older than fifteen.

Koko blinked.

She was so beautiful.

"Ready to go?" said Kyoshi, airbending herself up onto the flying bison. Koko nodded lightly and smiled. Monk Chung slid onto the bison's head and snapped the reins at his horns. They were off to the next place in their journey.

"So tell me, Kyoshi," said Chung as they flew over the ocean. "You never answered my question." He paused and glanced back at the young Avatar who leaned over the saddle to gaze at the sparkling water below. "What makes you feel the true freedom it takes to airbend?"

Kyoshi glanced up from the water and hummed. She took a quick look at Koko and then smiled.

"I guess knowing some things will never change," she said, smiling at her friend. "That some things will always be there when you most need it."

Koko's face went red and she smiled back at Kyoshi, and they barely heard Chung's next words.

"Be careful Avatar Kyoshi. You will come to know you must learn that water is the element of change, and you must adapt that into your training. Not everything will stay as it is."

She did not hear him.

* * *

**A/N:** I'll probably spend more time on the Fire Nation than I did on the Air Temple.


	5. Preferences

_The Fire Nation Capitol came as a rude awakening for Kyoshi. Transitioning from the calm and passive environment of the air nomads into the hot tempered and passionate boiling pit that was the fire nation was harder than they had expected. Kyoshi was still a strong Avatar in training, but in her adolescence, she began to grow weary and stressed from the day to day training and inner confusion of her budding youth..._

* * *

__**Part 5: Preferences**

The vein in Kyoshi's forehead was beginning to bulge with her frustration. Her firebending master was losing patience with her, as she was with the master.

"Clean up your stance, Avatar," Zay Ming snapped. Her long fingernails clicked against her metal plated armor impatiently as she watched Kyoshi attempt the maneuver they'd been working on for the past three days. She stumbled too much and kept pausing in between stances

"Oh for Spirit's sake!" she cried. "You are too distracted!" She straightened her uniform and groaned. "We'll continue this evening if you're more focussed."

Kyoshi halted as she saw her firebending master waltz away, robes fluttering over dramatically. She groaned, half tempted to send a gust of wind to knock that cape over her prissy old face; Kyoshi missed having a male monk for a teacher. Not this noble raised ninny. She inhaled through her nose and blew out a puff of fire before storming off herself. That was _one_ move she had learned _very_ quickly. The Fire Lord's Palace was so enormous it wasn't hard to get lost in it, especially given she and Koko had only been here for a few weeks.

Kyoshi found made her way up the stairs of the palace, then found a nearby pillar and leaned against it, exhausted from her frustration.

"Damnit..." she mumbled under her breath. She balled her hand into a fist and rammed it into the pillar, non intentionally cracking the length of it. She cursed again and casually bent the marble back into place, albeit messily. She figured no one would notice given this was the furthest pillar away from the staircase.

Her room was very luxurious, just another strange contrast to the humble quarters she'd stayed in at the Air Temple: Velvet curtains and bedding, cherry wood furniture that held all her new clothing and a vanity that contained a variety of proper girly items Kyoshi had never even seen. Jewery, make up, the lot of it was so foreign to her she had barely touched anything.

_Pffff._ The plush comforter enveloped Kyoshi as she flopped onto her bed with sigh and stared at the light red ceiling. Everything was red. Red curtains, red clothing, red hot attitudes. Kyoshi narrowed her eyes at the thought of Master Zay Ming and scoffed.

"Talk about a fiery temper," she said, pun fully intended. She sat up and stared out the window at the world behind the walls of the palace. She'd wanted to visit the city so badly since her arrival, but she'd never gotten the time.

A smile came across her face.

_Until now that is._

Kyoshi bounded off her bed and dashed down the hall to Koko's room. She opened the door to find the girl napping on the fully made bed. She tip toed over and lightly shook her friend.

"Koko," she whispered. "Koko wake up."

"I wasn't sleeping," she said quietly. "Just resting."

"Well come with me; we're going outside."

Koko slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Outside?" she questioned. "Why?"

"Jay-Mink," Kyoshi nick named the master after the hybrid animal she'd seen squawking around the palace. "She got angry and stormed off because something about my inability to focus...or...something." Koko snorted, stifling a laugh. "Anyway, let's go for a walk in the city, see the sights."

"Are we allowed?" she asked. Kyoshi shrugged.

"Why not?" she said. "I'm the Avatar. They have to let me meet the people I'll be protecting right?"

Koko shrugged at Kyoshi's reasoning and gave into her pleas. They swiftly made their way past the guards.

"Going for a walk!" Kyoshi cried. "Be back later!"

They were about to protest until Kyoshi dragged Koko to the closed gate. She explained her logic to the gatekeeper, who sighed, warning them not to stay out long and not to get themselves into trouble and opened the large bolted doors.

"Come on!" cried Kyoshi, pulling little Koko along.

In the city, life was bustling in the afternoon, merchants were starting to pack up their wares for the evening, others prepared for a continuous night of bartering and selling. There were no children that played in the street, if there were any out, they behaved very stoic and kept at their parent's sight. They were more than likely noble born children because they were well dressed and well mannered. Kyoshi assumed this was the more classy part of the city.

"It's so pretty," said Koko. "All the metal work and such."

Kyoshi nodded in agreement. They spent the afternoon exploring that side of town, sometimes stopping to talk with a bystander. Kyoshi never gave away her identity though. She didn't want attention, especially here. For some reason, there was a bit of tension between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, so given the next Avatar in the cycle had been born from that part of the world, things seemed less welcome here than they did at the Air Temple.

"Let's go somewhere else now," said Kyoshi, pulling Koko from a stand that sold leather good. "Let's go downtown."

Koko's eyes widened a bit and she began to wring her hands nervously.

"Isn't a bit more dangerous down that way?" she said. Kyoshi waved her off, still the happiest she'd been in a while. Koko halted her protests and let Kyoshi have her fun, taking them down the street into a clearly different part of the city. Here, casually dressed children played in the streets, merchants were open all night, beginning to light lanterns on their booths.

"This feels more like our kind of place," said Kyoshi, brushing a lock of her long brown hair behind her ear. "I like it here."

Koko nodded, but still felt uncomfortable about the place. There was something that rubbed her the wrong way.

"Hey, Kyoshi," she said. "Are you sure we should be-"

An ear piercing shriek made the both of them jump, and almost all at once, every soul on the corner retreated into their homes, locked the doors and shut the windows.

"What's going on?" Kyoshi whirled around. "Is someone hurt? Why did everyone..."

The woman's scream came again and Kyoshi took off in the direction from which it came from. It didn't take long to find the scene. In an alleyway, three men cornered a young girl, couldn't be any older than Kyoshi or Koko. She cowered on her knees, backing away from the men who's intentions were very clear.

"_Hey!"_

The thugs turned to see Kyoshi standing her ground in the alleyway.

"Why don't you bastards pick on someone your own size!" she yelled, cracking her knuckles. They promptly laughed at her and turned their attention back to the girl.

"You asked for it," Kyoshi muttered. She inhaled, swung her arms down and a gust of wind blew all three men up into the air, bouncing against the alley walls and then gusted them back down onto the ground. A fury of swears echoed through the narrow path. The woman crawled away and hid behind Kyoshi's tall frame.

"You're an airbender?" she said, shaking.

"Something like that," said Kyoshi, not taking her eyes off the recovering men. "You might want to get out of here before they get really mad."

"Thank you so much," said the girl, and she swiftly disappeared. Kyoshi popped the bones in her neck as the men rose to their feet. Two lit fireballs in their hands while the third drew a sword from his belt.

"You bitch," one of them muttered. The fight ensued. Kyoshi danced around the fury of fire blasts coming at her. She airbent the fire away from her and twirled around, sending one of the men back with a gust of wind. As the man with the sword approached her, Kyoshi stomped into the ground and thrust her arms stiffly up and a catapult of earth launched him over the roof and out of sight. The two remaining thugs halted and stared wide eyed.

"Did she just earthbend?" one of them said. Kyoshi smiled.

"Yea I did," she snapped. "Are you sure you want to pick a fight with me now?"

"Kyoshi, what's going on?"

The young Avatar whirled around to see Koko standing at the mouth of the alley, shivering from the wind outside.

"Koko, get out of here," Kyoshi ordered. "Go back to the palace. I'll be right behind you."

"Bet she's not a bender," said one of the me, igniting his hands once more. The other followed and grinned.

"Probably not."

"Oh no," Kyoshi said. "Touch her and you die."

She slid her foot across the ground again and forced a pillar of earth to erupt between her and the thugs.

"You're scum!" she yelled at them from behind the new wall, and then ran to meet Koko.

"Let's go," she said, grabbing her hand. As they emerged from the alley, they immediately halted before half a dozen palace guards, led by Zay Ming.

Kyoshi's heart plummeted to her stomach.

"Now what have we here," the firebending master said, drawing out her half-hearted, surprised tone. "I wondered where you had run off to." She crossed her arms over her chest and glanced into the alley. "That was a job for the police."

"Who didn't appear to be around to do a damn thing," Kyoshi snapped. "They were attacking an innocent girl and-"

"That's not your job."

"Yes it is! I'm the Avatar. I'm supposed to protect people."

"You're the Avatar _in training_," Zay Ming snapped back. "You are nowhere near ready to protect the balance of this world." As the guards went to fetch the criminals, Zay Ming eyed Kyoshi as she still clasped Koko's hand. "You've been distracted this whole time, Avatar. And I don't care what your- _preferences_ are, but either grow out of your childish fantasy or keep them to yourself and focus on your training."

Kyoshi felt Koko's hand slip from hers and she looked back to see her shrink away a little, turning red.

"Hey, you-"

"This discussion is over."

Zay Ming turned, followed by her two guard escorts who ushered the two girls along back to the Palace where Kyoshi worked through the night until she nearly collapsed from fatigue. Koko stayed up, watching from afar as Zay Ming walked away when the crescent moon passed its zenith point in the sky. It was morning. Once Zay Ming was out of sight, Koko rushed to Kyoshi's side and helped her back to her room, sponged off the sweat and grime from her body and put her to bed.

"Just rest ok?" she said. "I'm sorry all this happened."

Kyoshi glanced at Koko for a moment, and then shifted in her bed, turning her back to Koko.

"Thanks," she said monotonous.

"Do you need anything-"

"No."

Koko recoiled at Kyoshi's tone, but sighed, defeated for the night. Zay Ming's words had gotten to the young Avatar, and as stubborn as she was, there was no way she would listen to Koko now. She stood from the bed and went towards the door, but not before turning back with a final whisper.

"Goodnight, Kyoshi."

* * *

**A/N:** TADA


	6. Facade of Fire

_The frustration and judgement of Master Zay Ming weighed heavily on Kyoshi's mind. Her words were like venom to the young Avatar's ears, poisoning her mind with anger towards her budding youth. Whatever she may have felt before the Fire Nation, Zay Ming managed to turn the love and peace from the Air Nomads into sheer boiling fury…_

* * *

**Part 6: Facade of Fire**

The court yard wasn't literally on fire, but it might as well have been with all the flames flying around, barely missing tree limbs and terrified turtle ducklings. Kyoshi swung her leg around and slammed her heel into the ground, igniting a blade of fire that rolled vertically towards a metal target. Upon impact, the flames dispersed and all that was left was a black scorch mark on the dummy. Kyoshi breathed heavily through her teeth and wiped the sweat off her brow. The noon sun beat down on Kyoshi's exposed body. She had shed most of her clothing to train, clad in her pants and undergarment top, she retied her hair up on the top of her head, securing it with the ornate sticks of Fire Nation fashion.

"Whew," she breathed out, readjusting the wraps around her hands. She soaked the bands in water to keep from burning herself from all the practicing she's been doing. There was no one else in the courtyard other than her, but Master Zay Ming did look upon her from a window in a nearby tower, watching her student excel without her presence.

"She gets stronger every day," said a voice behind her. Zay Ming turned to see the Fire Lord, Xerxes behind her. She sunk to her knees to respect her leader.

"Please Zay," Xerxes said. "We're among our own company; there's no need for flattery."

Zay Ming rose to her feet and took her Fire Lord's hand in a friendly shake.

"How are you my lord?" she asked, glancing back out the window as she heard Kyoshi start up the fire works again.

"Quite honestly?" Xerxes admitted. "Bored. Avatar Kyoshi is the most exciting thing that has happened since I became the Fire Lord."

"You should find a wife then," said Zay Ming, smirking to herself. "That would keep you occupied for the rest of your days."

Xerxes chuckled.

"Every woman that has been suggested to be my bride has been some noble girl I do not care to love." He joined Zay Ming at the window. "When I meet my soul mate, I want the Spirits to approve more than my own mother."

Zay laughed, a rare sound to hear from the stoic firebending master.

"She is very strong isn't she?" she said, watching Kyoshi perfect a spinning technique that brought her into a back hand spring and then roll onto the ground.

"She is very angry," said Xerxes. "Which is what you firebenders thrive on, is it not?"

"You make it sound like a bad thing." Zay Ming crossed her arms and leaned against the window sill. "We feed off our anger rather than acting foolish with it. Bending allows us to keep our emotions in check, and for the Avatar, she needs to keep more than just her emotions monitored." A scowl of disgust crossed her lips.

"She's young, Zay, only sixteen," said Xerxes. "I'm sure whatever she's going through, it's nothing a little growing up won't fix, you'll see."

"I still think we should send her- _friend_ back to the Earth Kingdom," Zay Ming said, adding a hint of venom to the word 'friend'. "She's been nothing but a distraction and another mouth to feed."

"You clearly haven't seen her in the library, Zay," said Xerxes. "She has been a phenomenal help to the scribe keepers and recorders. Apparently her historical illustrations are comparable to Avatar Yangchen."

Zay Ming scoffed. The female Air Nomad, well known for her artistic talent and way with words and beauty. Her talent with a brush and ink were legendary.

"It's because the monks taught her," said Zay Ming. "Any other tag along of the Avatar would have to make themselves useful to not appear expendable, and right now, Koko is not doing a good job."

"You should pay her a visit in the library sometime," said the Fire Lord. "You might have a change of heart."

"I highly doubt that."

* * *

Back in the courtyard, Kyoshi took a brief break under the cherry blossom tree, her skin glistening with sweat. The grass tickled her bare back as she lay back in the shade. The turtle ducklings resumed their high pitched quacking after reappearing from hiding.

"This training is going to waste," she said to herself, watching the clouds slowly lull by. She wanted to go back outside the walls, see the people, see them walk around casually, not having to worry about their image or reputation like all the pompous ninnies in here.

The next time she thought about the outside world, Kyoshi sat in her evening bath, pouting as she blew bubbles in the water. She realized how long she'd soaked in the water and reheated the tub with a light firebending to the bottom of the porcelain case.

_Zay Ming thinks I'm just a reckless kid who can't handle her bending,_ she thought, swirling the water around with what minuscule waterbending tricks she knew. _I bet I could take her in an Agni Kai if she'd just give me the time of day as the Avatar and not a child._

She angrily stepped out of the tub and wrapped the silk robe around herself. With a flick of her wrist, she bent the water from her hair and splashed it back into the tub on her way out of the wash room. Her bedroom was quiet and cool, causing her skin to shiver with comfort. She rubbed her neck and sat down on the bed, staring at herself in the vanity mirror adjacent to her. She felt restless even though her calves protested in exhaustion. Her feet tapped against the rug silently until she stood and made a slow bee line to Koko's room.

"Koko?" she said, knocking lightly. "You in there?"

No answer. Kyoshi jiggled the doorknob to find it locked.

"Koko are you mad?"

Still no answer. Kyoshi sighed and leaned her forehead against the door.

"Ok well, whatever I did, I'm sorry ok?" She paused and stepped away from the door. "I'll be in my room."

"Go away!" Koko's tiny voice finally made it's way to Kyoshi's ears. She took a step back in surprise.

"Koko, are you-"

"Go! Away! I'm tired!"

Kyoshi's mouth hung open in shock, but there was nothing she could do but stand there and take it. Instead of guilt, another wave of anger overcame Kyoshi and she groaned.

"Well fine then!" she snapped. "I'll leave you alone!"

She stomped back down to her room, slammed the door shut, and let out a fire filled scream of frustration. Sliding to the floor, she clenched fistfuls of hair and knocked her forehead into her knees repeatedly, swearing with each hit.

"Damnit...damnit...damnit...damnit..."

The day had disappeared into the black blanket of the moonless night, speckled with the stars, the tears of the Spirits, something uncle Hyun used to say. Kyoshi slowly rose her head to look out the open window. A light draft blew in and cooled her burning skin. Her gaze fixed on the solitary object sitting on the table closest to the window, held down by paperweights; it was Koko's favorite ink painting. The young female earthbender who painted her face to disguise herself as she protected the people in her village.

Kyoshi slowly rose to her feet and went over to the table to look closer at the painting. She removed the paper weights and carried it over to the, until then, untouched vanity. The oil lamp that burned on the wall cast a menacing shadow on Kyoshi's face as she stared at herself in the mirror. She shifted her gaze from herself to the painting, and then back to herself. With a resolution in mind, she sat down and opened the drawer to the array of makeup.

"If I can't protect the people as the Avatar," she told herself, pulling out three jars of white, red, and black pasty makeup. "I'll just have to do it as someone else."

* * *

**A/N:** I'm running out of things to say on here XP


	7. One Slip Too Many

_ Under the guise of a mystery woman with a painted face, Kyoshi sought out criminals of the night, entrapping them and leaving them for the police. Through this, Kyoshi excelled in her firebending, but diminished.._

* * *

**Part 7: One Slip Too Many**

"Who does this bitch think she is!?"

Master Zay Ming slammed her hand down onto the breakfast table, a crumpled piece of paper beneath her fingers. Koko jumped, nearly spilling her bowl of rice.

"What is it?" she asked. Zay Ming took her place at the table and scowled.

"This...this..." She held up the wanted poster and gritted her teeth. "This woman who paints up her face and gallivants through the Fire Nation streets causing trouble."

As soon as Koko saw the picture of the wanted poster, she nearly spat out her drink and coughed a bit. The red contrasted eyelids against a pale face and blood crimson lips.

"Who is she!?" she said. "What has she done?"

Zay Ming raised her eyebrow at Koko's reaction, but then rolled up the wanted poster and filled her bowl with rice.

"She hasn't really done anything...illegal...I suppose," she said hesitantly. "But she is tampering with the line of work that is meant for the proper authorities to handle." She paused. "And where is Kyoshi!"

As if on cue, a sleepy moan came from the doorway, and there she was, not even out of her night clothes, sliding into the room. She rubbed her tired eyes and slumped down across the table from Koko, who still seemed to have a grudge against her for some reason that she wouldn't say. Kyoshi didn't even fill her breakfast dish. She simply laid down her head onto the table and did not move.

"You've been sleeping in a lot, Kyoshi," said Zay Ming. "Have you not been sleeping well?"

"You could say that," she mumbled, wrapping her arms around her head for a pillow against the cherry wood table. She turned her head to the side and caught a glimpse of the wanted poster in Zay Ming's hand.

"What's that?" she asked half-heartedly. When her master displayed the image for her, her eyes shot open and she sat up.

"Where did you get that?" she asked. Zay Ming narrowed her eyes and stuffed the poster back into her robes.

"The town square," she said. "They're are in other areas as well. This- vigilante has been causing trouble for two weeks now."

Kyoshi could feel Koko's steely gaze on her, but she dared not meet her eyes. Koko would immediately know. She would know how Kyoshi adopted the image on her painting into a live figure who hunted criminals at night like some hero from a fairy tail.

"So this person is rounding up criminals before the guards get there?" Kyoshi asked casually, as if just being introduced to this subject. "What's wrong with that?"

"That's what I said," Koko continued softly.

"The entire job is meant for the police." Zay Ming placed her fingers to her temples and massaged lightly. "This woman-at least I think its a woman. She is messing with the natural order around here."

Kyoshi rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up, pretending not to care anymore.

"If she's doing good deeds, she's doing good deeds. Why discourage something like that?" she said, filling her breakfast bowl. Before anymore conversation continued on the matter, Fire Lord Xerxes entered the room with a tired morning smile.

"Goodmorning Avatar Kyoshi," he said. "As to you Koko, and Master Zay Ming."

His company bowed accordingly and waited him to sit down before continuing with their meal.

"I've received some news," said Xerxes. "A few days ago, the Earth King Yin Juan passed away." He bowed his head in respect. "His successor, prince Seung will be crowned King tomorrow."

"My goodness," said Zay Ming. "That is some news. Will there be a coronation party?"

Xerxes nodded with a smile.

"Indeed there will be." He turned to Kyoshi. "We have been invited to the celebration that starts tonight and will continue for about three days."

"If I know anything, it's that the Earth Kingdom throws great parties," said Kyoshi with a smirk. "It will probably last for a week."

"Well we certainly can't stay _that_ long," said the young Fire Lord. "But we are all welcome to attend, especially the Avatar."

Kyoshi smiled and raised her rice bowl to the Fire Lord.

"It would be my pleasure."

"No it wouldn't," said Zay Ming. "You're not going anywhere until you pass your mid-training test."

Kyoshi took a long gulp of tea, stood up and said, "Alright then, test me."

* * *

The next thing Koko knew, they were out in front of the palace, Kyoshi and Zay Ming on either side of the ornate marble circle that decorated the grounds.

"I hope she passes," said the fire lord. "It would be nice for her to get back into her own country for a while." He turned slightly to Koko. "As would it be for you."

Koko nodded silently and watched Kyoshi fix the bands around her arms and ankles. Zay Ming simple sat in a cross legged position, waiting for her student to finish preparing. Kyoshi stomped the earth, the mark of a true earthbender, and thrust her hand out.

"I'm ready, Master Zay Ming," she declared proudly, sparking a tongue of fire that danced in her open palm. "What's the test?"

Zay Ming took a deep breath, paused, and then her amber eyes flew open. She pressed her palms to the ground and then spun her legs around, creating a spiral of flames that shot out towards Kyoshi. The Avatar lunged backwards, sliding along the ornate tiles beneath her.

Fire Lord Xerxes gently nudged Koko up the stairs as he felt the heat of the fire.

"We might want to step back a bit," he said. Koko started to worry.

Kyoshi dug her heels into the ground and then rotated her stance, wove her arms around gracefully, and then unleashed the rain of fire towards the master. Zay Ming might have been old, but she could still move like any young dragon could. She danced across the field, firing balls of pure light and heat around like a show for Kyoshi to awe at and dodge at the same time.

"Show me your technique!" Zay Ming commanded, shooting a continuous stream of fire at Kyoshi. She clapped her hands together and pierced the flames that intended to harm her. The fire split into two streams, flying past her and disappearing into the air.

"You wanna see technique?" she said, teeth gritted. "I'll show you technique."

With each blast of heat, Kyoshi absorbed the energy, taking small steps back. She carried them around, collecting the fire and letting then swirl around her, growing larger and larger like a snowball tumbling down a white hill. Her feet wove in and out of formation; the marble ground sparkled in the light of the red hot glow above them.

In one wing of her long muscular arms, Kyoshi flung all the collected fire, the collected fury, anger and heat, everything towards her master who tried to block it, but found her self flung back from the force of the flames.

"My word!" said Xerxes, shielding his eyes from the flame. "That was a lot of fire."

Koko just stood there, watching Kyoshi's face, contort from anger to calm. She wanted to know what had happened to the peaceful Avatar she'd come to know and love back at the Air Temple. What happened to that Kyoshi? Was she still in there?

Zay Ming rose to her feet and brushed herself off. Begrudgingly she bowed to her student.

"Very good," she said. "You are halfway complete with your training." She paused. "I was honestly very impatient with you because of how slowly you were picking it up, but for some reason-recently, you've improved significantly."

Kyoshi knew why. Since she'd grown angry with Koko and taken up the face of red and black paint, she'd utilized the darkness to practice her firebending against notorious criminals who deserved her fury. They were rats of the night who deserved nothing more than the lick of her flame and the punishment of her ferocity.

"You have my permission to travel to Ba Sing Se."

* * *

The wall of the great city towered and stretched so far, Kyoshi had to crane her neck to see the top. Koko couldn't see the end to the large structure, but as soon as the transport reached the wall, the stone split open, creating a door from nothing and allowing the Fire Lord entry. The celebration had apparently been going on for two days now, but it had not at all died down.

Kyoshi was shown her chambers, as was Koko. They shared a room since all the guests before them had taken all the rooms before their arrival. Of course the Fire Lord had his own special suite...

"But the Avatar can't have her own privacy?" Kyoshi mumbled, plopping her belongings onto the first bed. Koko sat at the window, either not noticing Kyoshi's entrance, or ignoring her presence. For a moment, Kyoshi ignored the cold shoulder, but then she couldn't take it any more. She stomped the floor, causing the entire room to shake.

"Damnit, Koko!" she snapped. "What did I do!? Why are you so angry at me!"

Koko jumped and met Kyoshi's hard hot gaze with surprise.

"What?"

"You know what," said Kyoshi. "Ever since we went outside the palace walls for the first time, you've completely ignored me."

"You must not remember the cold shoulder you gave me after Zay Ming attacked your _preferences_," Koko replied coldly. Kyoshi halted, mouth hanging open. What was she going to say to that?

"But-you-me..." She stuttered, tripping over her words. The door opened to their room and there stood an attendant, behind her two others.

"We're here to prepare you for the festivities," she said brightly. Kyoshi's heart sank.

_Oh no_, she thought. _They're going to dress us up aren't they?_

And so they did, wrapping Koko's tiny body in a golden silk kimono, securing her hair in a black bun on top of her fan, decorated with flower patterned fan pieces. They had a hard enough time getting Kyoshi into anything sensible, but they managed a emerald kimono, but they allowed her to keep her hair down as long as they placed a small band around her forehead with two tassels that fell down to her ears.

"Well, that will have to do," said the attendant. "Please come with us, ladies."

The two followed the woman and her helpers to the throne room where tables upon tables of food were set up, entertainers gathered at different parts of the large room, juggling fire, bending multicolored streams of water.

The room was alive with laugher and drunken chatter. Kyoshi and Koko found the Fire Lord and sat with him. The new Earth King also sat with them and greeted them with poise.

"Greetings, young Avatar," said King Seung. "It's truly an honor to have you in our midst today. Xerxes tells me you are half-way complete with your firebending training."

Kyoshi nodded.

"That's correct, your Highness," she said. "And it's an honor to be invited to such an extravagant event."

The king was young, younger than Xerxes even. Seung was about thirteen years old, maybe younger. Kyoshi hoped he had advisors or- something.

"Please, enjoy yourselves," he said to Kyoshi and Koko. "Have a good time."

As soon as he dismissed the two, Koko gathered her skirt and left the table to join a group of people who were tasting the various wines being served at the party. Kyoshi's gaze lingered on the girl, who had not even given her a nod or gesture, but simply gotten up and walked away.

"So tell me, Avatar Kyoshi," said Seung. "How was your time with the Air Nomads?"

Kyoshi returned her gaze to the well spoken king and realized she would probably be speaking with him the entire night, so she pushed the thought of Koko out of her head and began to tell her tale.

* * *

It was past midnight when Kyoshi had finally returned to her room. She could still hear the festivities going on down the hall, showing no signs of dwindling or ceasing. Kyoshi tiredly shook her head.

"Typical Earth Kingdom party," she said, rubbing her temples. She tossed her headpiece to the side and unraveled the large ribbon that tied her kimono together. She slipped out of her shoes and sat down on the bed, massaging her scalp. The window to her room was closed, but a cool draft blew in from the small crack of the shades.

"Oof," she puffed, flopping back onto the bed. She didn't rest long though, because the squeak of the bedroom door caused Kyoshi to sit up, quickly wrapping her kimono around herself again. It was only Koko. She lazily leaned against the door and stared at Kyoshi. There was something off about her. She slouched, and her eyes were narrowed to sultry slits.

"Hey there Kyossshhhi," she slurred stumbling in. Kyoshi raised an eyebrow.

"Koko, are you alright?" she asked. Koko blundered over and fell against the post of the bed, never breaking eye contact with Kyoshi.

"Are yooou alright?" she said, her words leaking together. It took a moment for Kyoshi to realize what was going on. She sighed and then groaned.

"Koko, you're drunk," she said, running a hand through her hair. "Come on, let's get you into be-"

"NO!" Koko slapped Kyoshi's hand away and stumbled back. "You listen to me- to me." She swayed a little before continuing. "If you don't- if you don't know why I've-then you're stupid."

"Koko, what the- get into bed," said Kyoshi, standing so she could retrieve her intoxicated friend. Koko backed up more, and then burst into tears. All these emotions made Kyoshi panick.

"Oh my, Spirits, Koko, what's wrong?" she said, taking a hold of Koko's shoulders. The stench of alcohol was clear on her breath when she looked up.

"I love you Kyoshi," she said. "I love you so much." She paused in her state. "I want to kiss you Kyoshi. I love you..."

Before Kyoshi could reply, Koko lurched up onto her tip toes and smashed her lips to hers, flinging her arms around the tall girl. Kyoshi stumbled back from sheer shock of the moment. A thousand things went through her head, as if all of her past lives were yelling all at once what to do. It felt as if a million years had passed when in reality it had only been a moment. Without explanation, without reason, Kyoshi gave into Koko's touch and wrapped her arms around her wast, returning the kiss.

_What am I doing?_ She thought, while at the same time trailing her hands up to cup Koko's face. _Is this natural? Should I be doing this?_

The room was completely silent, save for the pounding of Kyoshi's heartbeat in her own ears. Koko tasted of mint and spirits, a strong combination that left Kyoshi craving more. She pulled her closer and wove her fingers into Koko's hair, messy and unravelled from the festivities.

"Kyoshi," Koko murmured between breaths.

"What am I doing?" Kyoshi whispered, all her emotions rushing through her lips in one action. She felt dizzy, she felt confused, but she also felt a sudden want for Koko, she wanted to be closer to her, taste her, feel her. This girl she'd known for years was now the subject of lust and intoxication, but Kyoshi did nothing to stop it, even when they fell back onto the bed behind her, she didn't stop it, in fact, she egged it on. She flipped over, pinning Koko to the covers as she trailed her lips down her small bony neck, little smears of makeup remaining.

The velvet covers shifted beneath their weight, crimping beneath their intertwined limbs, their joints that jutted into the bed, Kyoshi's knees panted firmly on either side of Koko's body, keeping her there, as if she were afraid the young lady before her would vanish forever.

"I love you," said Koko. "I love you."

Kyoshi said nothing; she just indulged in the moment and devoured Koko's lips with hers, an uncontrollable fire fueling her body and mind. She took a moment to push the top of her kimono out of the way and leaned back down to kiss her, a tender, gossamer touch to Koko's lips, followed by another trail down to her neck. When she came back up to her tender face, Kyoshi blinked for a moment before she realized Koko had passed out from her drunkenness. It was just her, alone, straddled over her childhood friend. She panicked and fell back onto the floor. Her hair fell in messy strings over her face as she leaned forward and touched her lips with her fingertips.

"What-what did I just..."

An owl hooted outside the window, as if to warn her of the impending consequences that were sure to rise.


	8. Icy Resistance

_The sun seared behind Koko's eyelids, as if someone were flashing a lantern in her face. She slowly opened her eyes, but then shut them and pulled the covers over her head to shade her from the light. Her head throbbed painfully and her mouth was as dry as the desert. She shifted around in the kimono that now was crumbled and wrinkled beneath her..._

* * *

**Part 8: Icy Resistance**

"Hnnngh," she groaned, turning over onto her side. "What happened last night?"

The door creaked open and Koko's eyes flitted open to see Kyoshi enter with a tray of food and a tall glass of water.

_Water._ Koko's mouth started to dry more in longing for the precious liquid.

"Good morning," Kyoshi said solemnly. She was clad in her traditional fire nation robes, save for the gold headband with gold tassels that framed her face with her hair down.. Her dark emerald eyes held bruise-like circles beneath them. Had she not slept all night?

"Morning," Koko murmured. Kyoshi set the tray on the night stand and picked up the glass of water.

"You had a lot to drink last night," she said, helping Koko sit up. Koko watched her as she carefully handled her pained body, wracked from alcohol.

"I did?" she responded weakly. Kyoshi nodded, avoiding Koko's gaze. "Did I do anything stupid last night?"

Kyoshi halted before handing Koko the water, but then straightened up and frowned.

"How much do you remember?" she asked. Koko was hesitant to answer. She wasn't sure if she was still mad at Kyoshi or not.

"Going to the party," Koko started slowly. "Leaving the Earth King's table to go...socialize." Kyoshi snorted to that, but Koko ignored it. "I went to this one table that had lots of different wines on it and I just started sampling them...and I kept sampling them...I don't remember much after that."

"Do you remember coming back to the room?" Kyoshi asked hesitantly. Koko slowly shook her head.

"I don't think so."

Kyoshi's shoulders seemed to relax and she moved away from the bed to the vanity, soaking a wet cloth in a basin of water.

"You have makeup all over your face." She returned to Koko's side and gently rubbed the smudged face paint from her face. "You shouldn't do that again."

Koko averted her gaze shamefully. The only reason she kept on drinking is because she had been so upset for so long; she just wanted to feel happier and that's what the wine did, she just had way too much of it.

"You need to stay in bed today," said Kyoshi. "No party. We're leaving tomorrow first thing in the morning anyway."

Koko nodded again and cacooned herself back under the covers. Kyoshi briefly came over to tuck her in, her face still blank of any emotion, as if she was surprising something, hiding something from Koko.

"Are you alright, Kyoshi?"

"Fine," she almost snapped back. "Get some rest. And drink a lot of water ok? I'm going to go for a walk."

Koko nodded, sank back into the covers and watched Kyoshi walk away and quietly shut the door behind her.

As soon as she was out of Koko's sight, Kyoshi let out a loud breath and slid down against the wall that led down the long hall of bed chambers.

This was too much. The only good thing that set Kyoshi's nerves a'calm was the fact that Koko didn't remember anything from last night. The drunken confession, the intoxicated kiss, the muddled passion that led to Koko's delirious crash on the bed, leaving Kyoshi confused and shocked at herself and her best friend.

"Oh Spirits," she moaned, placing her forehead to her knees. "Help me."

For what felt like an eternity, Kyoshi only heard her own breathing and occasional groan of frustration. Then a strange tingling feeling surged through her spine and an alien breeze nuzzled against her hair, blowing it loose on her back that no longer leaned against the earth palace walls. Kyoshi lifted her head to find herself waist deep in snow, the breeze now turned into a harsh blizzard wind, whipping her hair about her face. She reached for the clip that normally rested in a pocket on her person, but it wasn't there.

Where was she? What was going on? She couldn't remember at all how she got here or what she had been doing before.

"Hello?" she called into the white abyss, squinting to try and see through the swirling snow. "Is anyone out there!?"

She stood up, her legs and bare arms chilled by the wind.

"_Hello_!" she called again as she attempted to walk through the snow that enveloped her ankles. "Anyone!?"

She looked in every direction and saw nothing but darkness and snow barely illuminated by the green moon above.

Wait, green moon?

Kyoshi looked up towards the starless sky and sure enough, a grass green crescent moon lit the surrounding tundra.

"What in the name of Hei Bai-" she mumbled to herself, holding her hands against her forehead to keep her hair from getting anymore tangled than it was. She lowered her gaze to another light, but it was far in the distance, a warm yellow glow that appeared to be moving. Kyoshi squinted and moved towards it. Perhaps it was someone who could help her.

"Hello?" she called to the light. "Is anyone out there? Can you help me?"

She blinked and suddenly, the light had gone from at least half a mile away to a few _feet _away. She jumped back and saw it wasn't just a light. Someone held that light in a water tribe styled lantern, swinging from its post.

"Hello, Avatar Kyoshi," said the figure who held the lantern. Kyoshi squinted through the snow and raked her gaze up the large man who had appeared in front of her. He was clad in blue fabric and thick furs, prominently one of a polar bear-dog that sat on top of his head.

He seemed so familiar, but Kyoshi knew she'd never him in her life.

"Who are you?" she asked hesitantly. "And where are we?"

"I am Avatar Kuruk," he said simply and suddenly, Kyoshi's memory rushed back into her head. "And you are in the Spirit World."

Kyoshi's jaw dropped to her chest in surprise and her eyes widened. She had heard stories of her previous incarnation, the go-with-the-flow Avatar, but she'd never seen any paintings of him, never heard anyone describe what he looked like.

_ Well now you know_, Kyoshi thought.

"What am I doing here?" she asked Kuruk. "I didn't meditate. What's going on?"

"You're spiritually clouded and disturbed," Kuruk answered bluntly. "You have too many earthly things clouding your judgement as the Avatar and it is up to your past lives to help you through this."

"Clouded?" Kyoshi's face turned red. "I'm not clouded. I'm doing perfectly fine as the Avatar. I've excelled in my firebending training and earth bending just comes naturally to me." She paused. "Granted I haven't officially started training for it, but I'm still really good!"

Kuruk chuckled lowly and turned.

"Follow me," he said. "Let's get out of this storm."

Kyoshi raised an eyebrow at him, wondering why the Spirit World couldn't just stop storming. But instead of questioning it further, she followed Kuruk through the snow.

They came to an igloo in the middle of nowhere, sealed by a door of thick animal skins. Kuruk parted the door to make way for Kyoshi to enter. When she did, she was immediately hit with the heat of a fire and the chills and shivers melted from her body. Her muscles relaxed and the bumps on her arms flattened against her pale skin.

"Ahhh," she breathed, practically feeling the orange glow on her face. The roar of the storm outside muffled as Kuruk closed the door. He removed the polar bear-dog skin from her head and hung it on the wall. His dark hair fell around his chin, a couple of locks braided and ornamented in traditional water tribe beading.

"Sit," he said, taking a seat in front of the fire. Kyoshi followed and did the same, outstretching her arms towards the fire.

"Why am I here?" Kyoshi asked. "I've already told you, I'm doing fine as the Avatar."

Kuruk chuckled and shook his head.

"You're sixteen, Kyoshi," he said bluntly. "You have a long ways to go before you truly master all four elements, a task that no mere _test_ will accomplish."

Kyoshi frowned. Monk Chung said that whenever she made the connection with her spiritual self that she would gain wisdom and advice, not a lecture.

"Alright then, tell me what I need to do," she said, crossing her arms.

"First you need to tell me what is clouding your mind," said Kuruk, crossing his legs in response. "I can wait. I've got all eternity, you know."

She was starting to not like this man, Avatar or not. She uncrossed her arms and leaned back on her hands, narrowing her eyes at the dark skinned man. What could possibly be clouding her mind?

"The only thing I can think of is Koko being mad at me," she said slowly. "But ever since that happened, I've excelled at my fire bending."

Kuruk leaned forward and reached into a satchel that sat by the fire. He drew up a handful of strangely colored sand and cast it into the fire. The flames erupted into swirls of multi colored smoke, weaving its way around the now purple tinted room. Kyoshi twisted her body this way and that to see all the various shapes and lights around. The smoke and flame finally collected in the middle of the room to form a scene. A tall woman with a painted face making her way through the winding streets of the fire nation capital. She made her moves quickly, disarming and reducing criminals of the night into mere crumpled men, burned and beaten, allowing their victims to escape. Kyoshi recognized it as herself and her self found calling as a hero for the people of the poorer districts of the capital.

"Can you tell me what this is?" Kuruk asked. Kyoshi sat up.

"Shortly after I had a fight with Koko, I used the look from one of her paintings to disguise my face. I wasn't allowed to go into the city as myself anymore so I went out at night and righted the wrongs of the criminals. They were rats." Her face contorted in disgusts. "Pig-monkeys. They deserved what they got."

Kuruk nodded slowly.

"I see," he said. "Did you ever kill anyone of them?"

Kyoshi shook her head.

"I almost did once."

"Why is that?"

Kyoshi frowned and closed her eyes, not eager to remember that one night. She had been scouring the city for any crime. The night had been relatively quiet until a scream cut short caught her attention. When she'd gotten to the scene, she had been to late. A man stood up into the full view of the moonlight, just now pulling up his trousers. A young woman lay naked and bleeding at the back of the alley, underneath the man's shadow. Kyoshi had nearly killed the man out of sheer anger and thirst for justice. She left him severely burned, more in certain places, and took the woman in her arms and rushed her to a healing guild where the people there almost didn't take her out of fear of the tall painted woman who held her. But they eventually took the woman in and tended to her wounds accordingly. Kyoshi didn't stay around long enough to even learn the woman's name. She simply left some money she'd taken from the evil man's pockets and disappeared into the night, or rather back to her room where she practically cried all of her makeup from what she had seen.

"That man deserved to die," said Kyoshi. "I wanted to kill him. I wanted to smell his blood spill on the very ground he had defiled with that innocent girl's cries and pleas." She paused, her voice had broken. "I just couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to take a life... The monks had taught me of peace and even the smallest creature's life was valuable."

"But you're not a monk."

Kyoshi opened her mouth to respond, but she realized he was right.

"I just wasn't ready to kill."

"As you shouldn't be," Kuruk replied. "You're still very young, Avatar Kyoshi. I never killed anyone in my lifetime because people seemed to solve their own problems on their own." He paused. "But I don't think that little story of yours is the reason your mind is clouded." He held her gaze in his through the now dying flames. "Why were you so affected by that night?"

Kyoshi pulled at her thumbs out of nervousness and she tore away from his gaze, staring at the embers on the outskirts of the fire.

"Because if something like that had happened to Koko," she started slowly. "If anyone hurt her at all, I don't think I'd be able to control myself." She held back tears. "I _know_ I would kill. I would kill slowly." She paused. "I might just go into the Avatar State and who knows how many lives I would take...if I lost Koko."

"That's it."

Kyoshi looked up. "What?"

"That's what is clouding your heart, Kyoshi." Kuruk took a deep breath. "Love."

Kyoshi felt her face heat up.

"What? No! I don't love Koko, she's my friend."

Kuruk sighed and threw another handful of sand onto the fire. This time the swirls of smoke and flame were tinted a deep crimson, collecting in the center as a very familiar scene. Kyoshi's face grew even hotter as she saw, in the smoke, Koko's drunken confession and her kiss. And then what the kiss had led to. Kyoshi averted her gaze out of shame, but she could hear it. She could hear her frantic breathing as she kissed Koko back with ferocity and passion. As soon as the room turned back into its usual blue-orange glow, Kyoshi looked back up. Kuruk raised an eyebrow at her.

"She was drunk!" she defended herself.

"You weren't." Kyoshi shut her mouth. "Young Avatar, believe me when I say you cannot simply cast this aside. Love is one of the most powerful elements that the Spirits have blessed us with." He smiled sadly, as if recalling a long old memory. "Kyoshi, don't let love slip through your fingers, and don't let her out of your sight."

Kyoshi cocked her head.

"You seem to be confused about your feelings for Koko," he said. "Don't be. Love is hard when your young." He smiled. "But don't worry. It gets better."

Suddenly the fire erupted throughout the room and when Kyoshi's eyes adjusted to the light, she was back in the halls of the Earth Kingdom palace.


	9. Changing Tides

_ Avatar Kuruk's words of wisdom rang true in his successor's ears. Kyoshi felt a spark of hope rise in her adolescent heart. Perhaps there would be hope. Maybe she would not have to face the world alone ever again..._

* * *

**Part 9, Changing Tides**

The time came to return to the Firenation. Kyoshi finished packing her belongings into the carriage when she saw Koko walking out with a man she'd never seen before. She didn't remember seeing him at the coronation party. He wasn't very tall but he was very well built. He was young, perhaps early twenties, maybe even Kyoshi's age. She wondered if he was a captain in the army or something of that sort. The two exchanged some words and then handed each other a piece of parchment. Koko waved daintily and then hopped down the stairs towards the Fire Lord's caravan. She had a pink smile plastered across her face, a glazed over look in her eyes.

"Are you feeling better?" asked Kyoshi. Koko shook out of her daze and glanced up at Kyoshi.

"Oh-um, yea thank you for taking care of me," she said softly. Kyoshi nodded and then Koko looked up again.

"Hey, Kyoshi?" she said.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry," she said, lowering her gaze. "I've been behaving like a child lately and a horrible friend. Can you forgive me?"

Kyoshi raised her eyebrows in surprise. What had possibly happened in the past twenty four hours that had changed her heart? She looked back up at the mystery man who stood at the top of the Earth Palace stairs, arms folded behind his back, standing in a military fashion.

"I do forgive you," she finally said, shrugging her thoughts away. "And I'm sorry for being so angry all the time." She briefly ignited a tongue of fire in her hand and then clasped her fingers around it in a fist. "This firebending stuff really takes a lot of passion." She paused. "But that's no excuse for how angry I've been."

Koko smiled and outstretched her arms. Kyoshi pulled her into a warm hug and smiled too. Maybe Avatar Kuruk was right. Everything would get better, sooner than she expected.

"Alright, into the carriages," called the attendant. Fire Lord Xerxes was already comfortably settled in and surrounded by guards. Kyoshi allowed Koko to enter the carriage first and the climbed in after her. The carriage jerked to life and then started down the street, turning onto the main road that lead to the grand walls of Ba Sing Se, now here to say goodbye to the Avatar and her friend.

"That was some celebration, huh?" said Koko as she looked out the window at the passing buildings that ranged from tea shops to tinker stores. Finally the wall swallowed them up and gently nudged them out of the city for what would be for a long time.

"Do you know where you will be trained in earthbending?" Koko asked. Kyoshi shrugged.

"Wherever the best teacher is," she replied. "Probably either Omashu or Ba Sing Se."

Koko nodded and then looked out the window, clasping the scroll in her lap, the scroll that unknown man had given to her before saying goodbye. Kyoshi glanced down at the small yellow thing, sealed with red wax. The jarring of the carriage was starting to lull her to sleep, but she wanted to ask about this man Koko had met. Was he going to be her earthbending teacher? Or was he just a friend from the celebration?

She decided to ask later and laid her head against the wall of the compartment.

"Hey Kyoshi?"

Kyoshi started awake at Koko's voice. She took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes.

"Mhmm?" she said, stretching her back and popping her neck. Koko watched her finish before she spoke.

"Is it you who's been fighting criminals in the Fire Nation?" she asked. "With the face paint and all that?"

Kyoshi looked down, trying not to show anything that would give her away, but a second thought told her she wasn't squirming her way out of this one.

"Yes," she said slowly. "I was angry that I had not been progressing in my firebending and...second to our dispute I needed something to exert my energy to. I had to have a disguise so Sifu Xay Ming wouldn't lock me in the palace for good, so I used the woman from the painting you made back in the Air Temple." She paused. "It was a great painting and I liked the way her face looked. It covered everything up. No one knew who I was."

Koko nodded.

"So you've been helping people this whole time?" she said with a light smile. Kyoshi nodded back, finally realizing she wasn't mad.

"I think that's what you're supposed to do," said Koko. "You're the Avatar. You have to help people, even if you haven't mastered ALL the elements yet."

Kyoshi's heart lifted a bit. Koko was right; even if Kyoshi was not a full fledged Avatar, she still had an obligation to her people of all nations. She was the Avatar.

She was.

"Thank you, Koko," she said, leaning over to take her hand. "For everything."

Koko smiled,

"What are friends for?"

Perhaps this was the right time for Kyoshi to talk about her feelings for Koko. Unbeknownst to Koko, they'd already taken a huge step, albeit a drunken one.

Kyoshi stared down at the scroll in Koko's lap and noticed the symbol a little more clearly. It was a couple of characters that translated into "Lovely Koko". Kyoshi immediately forgot what she was about to ask.

"By the way," Kyoshi said slowly. "Who gave you that scroll? I didn't recognize him when you were saying goodbye."

A worrying amount of blush flooded into Koko's cheeks and she sheepishly looked away.

"He's just a man that travelled from an island in the northwestern part of the Earth Kingdom," she said with a light grin. "He's very sweet and-well-when I was still angry with you at the party, he kept me company. We talked for hours. He's got his own farmland and everything that he and his village grow their food from. It's fascinating really." She averted her gaze as more blush came. "He kept telling me how pretty I was and how much he wanted to see me again. He gave me this scroll so I could write to him as much as I wanted."

Kyoshi's heart dropped to the floor. Suddenly, everything she'd hoped for, had been encouraged for, had fallen from underneath her. Whatever Avatar Kuruk had advised her flooded from her mind, blocked by jealousy and envy. Her lips pulled into a tight tense line but she masked a smile.

"He sounds like a nice man," she forced out. "I'm happy for you."

Koko smiled.

"Thanks!" she said. Kyoshi looked down at the scroll and asked, "What was his name?"

Koko smiled widely, placed the scroll against her chest and sighed.

"His name is Chin."

* * *

A/N: Sorry it's been ages since I've updated this. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this chapter. My muse was a bit in the dumps it seems, but I'm also waiting for the plot to pick up for later in Kyoshi's story.


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